Forza Responds to Horizon 6 Leak With Lifetime Bans

Four sporty cars in vibrant blue, teal, red, and yellow speed down a village road lined with traditional houses and autumn trees, conveying excitement and energy.
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By Alexandria LopezStaff Writer

Four sporty cars in vibrant blue, teal, red, and yellow speed down a village road lined with traditional houses and autumn trees, conveying excitement and energy.
  • Primary Subject: Forza Horizon 6
  • Key Update: Playground Games has begun issuing permanent "lifetime" bans to users who accessed the unencrypted Steam pre-load files, with suspension notices lasting until the year 9999.
  • Status: Confirmed / Ongoing
  • Last Verified: May 11, 2026
  • Quick Answer: Players who accessed the leaked Forza Horizon 6 files on Steam are receiving lifetime bans (expiring in 9999) for "unauthorized modding" and "cheating," sparking a debate over publisher accountability.

Xbox and Playground Games have taken action after Forza Horizon 6 leaked weeks before launch.

It was recently revealed that Forza Horizon 6 was leaked on PC after unencrypted preload files were uploaded to Steam, allowing players not only to download but also to launch the game in its entirety. Not long after, people started cruising the game's Japan-inspired maps and boasting about it online.

Now, it appears the team behind the game is taking action.

Forza Bans Players Who Accessed Horizon 6 Leaks

It appears players who downloaded and launched the pre-encrypted files of Forza Horizon 6 before the game's official release are receiving lifetime bans.

Notification message from Forza Community Team stating suspension for cheating or unallowed modding. Duration listed as an extremely long time, unban date as 12/31/9999, conveying a tone of permanence. Includes link for more information.
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Credit: Playground Games

Forza Horizon 6 UK, which works closely with Forza Horizon and Turn 10 Studios, posted on X:

The post was accompanied by the image above, which shows a player receiving in-game mail notifying them of a suspension for cheating or unauthorized modding.

What caught people's attention is the unban date - December 31, 9999. This means that the people who were banned will likely be unable to play the game ever again.

The reactions to the ban have been mixed. While some players believe it's fair that people who played the leaked version deserve a penalty, others claim it's unfair that they should be penalized for what is essentially a blunder of the publisher's part.

Two sports cars speed through a brightly lit city street at night, surrounded by vibrant neon signs. The scene conveys excitement and energy.
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Credit: Playground Games

Xbox and Playground Games haven't released an official statement, but the bans say enough: mess around and find it (a.k.a. get a lifetime ban).

Forza Horizon 6 will officially come out on May 19, 2026. If you pre-purchase the Deluxe Edition, you can play the game four days early.

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